Xavi Simons is recovering quickly from an anterior cruciate ligament injury amid suggestions he will not be back until February in Holland.
The 23-year-old was just starting to find his feet under Roberto De Zerbi when he injured his knee in the 63rd minute of a Premier League match at Wolves on April 25. Subsequent surgery and a long rehabilitation period denied him the chance to escape relegation and the new season after Spurs’ 10-man summer transfer window.
Xavi’s Spanish namesake, who is currently in charge of the Dutch side, confirmed that he contacted the Tottenham midfielder during the last international break and will rely on him in the future.
The Spurs star traveled with the squad, along with Dejan Kulusevski, Pedro Porro and Andy Robertson, to support them as they drew 1-1 at Manchester United on Saturday.
Now De Telegraaf journalist Valentijn Driessen has claimed on the Dutch media outlet’s Kick-Off podcast, translated by Sport Witness, that the former RB Leipzig player “actually won’t be back until February. It will take a while.”
football.london He understands that Xavi is recovering quickly and has been working on grass in his boots for the past two weeks. The usual nine-month timeline for ACL injuries would see the Dutchman out towards the end of January, but players’ returns vary depending on the type and location of the ligament damage.
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Rodrigo Bentancur returned to full training in the 2023/24 season just eight months after suffering an ACL injury and returned to action a few weeks later. However, Spurs have been more cautious with Radu Dragusin and James Maddison, the former not returning to competitive minutes for 11 months and the latter more than nine months after a pre-season injury. The midfielder is yet to start a competitive match as he is injured after several minor knocks.
In his spare time, as well as working on his recovery, Xavi took a course associated with Harvard Business School.
The Dutchman wrote on LinkedIn: “I’m going back to school. I’ve tried to make the most of my time during my recovery. Football is still my main focus, but I also want to continue learning and away from the pitch.
“I am excited to share that I have been accepted into the Crossover Into Business Program at Harvard Business School, an online program where professional athletes learn more about business alongside HBS MBA students.
“I’ve always been interested in more than football. I want to better understand the business side of the game, learn from people in different industries and continue to grow as a person.
“Over the past few weeks, I’ve spent time in the United States on both the East Coast and the West Coast, meeting new people and seeing different ways of doing things. It’s given me a lot of new ideas. That’s also what makes this experience special,” says Professor Anite Elbers.
“Getting back on the pitch is still my number one priority. At the same time, I want to continue to learn from this period and invest in myself outside of football. I’m looking forward to getting started.”